Apparatus for dispensing flavoring tablets



Sept. 22, 1931. Gl s. SUPPIGER ET AL. 1,824,695

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLAVORING TABLETS Filed Dec. l2. 1927 5Sheets-Sheet l 15 ef/y/Z 5. 650/0/ egl attorney* Sept. 22, 1931. G. s,SUPPIGER ET Al. 1,824,695

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLAVORING TBLETS Filed Dec. 12. 1927 ssheets-sheet 2 elf-amb 5. 50p/@[966 Sept. '22, 1931.

G. S. SUFPIGER ET AL APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLAVORING TABLETS FiledDeed. 12', 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 6er/)drt 6. Sgo/09e@ Patented Sept. 22,1935i E naar eten GERHART S. SUPPIGER AND HENRY G. WEGENER, OFCOLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS APPARATUS FOR DISPENSIN G FLAVORING TABLETSApplication filed December 12, 1927. Serial No. 239,510.

This invention relates to dispensing ma- Figure 5 is an end elevation;chines, and has more particular reference Figure 6 is a fragmentaryhorizontal secto apparatus for dispensing predetermined tional view,taken on the line 6-6 in Figcharges of flavoring or other material inure 5; and

5 the form of coherent definite masses or units Fi ure 7 is afragmentary vertical sec- 55 to receptacles that travel past themachine. tiona View, taken on the line 7-7 in Fig- The joint applicationof one of these appliure 3. c ants, Gerhart S. Suppiger, and Clyde Ahopper 1 is supported on standards 2, Alexander, Serial No. 205,892, fora United mounted on the base 3 of the machine. The

l States patent for method of, and apparatus hopper 1 develops at itslower forward end 50 for, dispensing flavoring tablets illustrates intoa declining spout 4 that enlarges latera dispensing machine of thischaracter that ally at its outer end into a vertical wall or is bestadapted for dispensing charges that disc 5. An annular wall 6 is alinedwith are spherical or substantially spherical in and surrounds the wallleaving an interform. It is immaterial how such spherical vening annularspace or gap 7l therebetween. 65 units lie in their passage through thema- The wa1l'6 enlarges downwardly at its lower chine, since theirdimensions in all directions end into the rear wall 8 of the verticalchute are substantially equal. When, however, or conduit 9. A flange 10projects forwardthere is a material difference in the dimenly from theouter edge of the wall 6 and zo sions in different directions, as in thecase enlarges downwardly at the wall 8 to form 70 of a flat disc ortablet, it is necessary to artheside walls 11 of the chute 9. The frontrange the tablets so that they all lie in the wall 12 of the chute 9 isprovided with a same direction as they pass through the apseries oferforations 13 that form sightportioning means. The purpose of theopenings or the observance of the passage present invention is toprovide an improved of tablets therethrough. j dispensing machine thatis adapted to re- Aninverted-U-shaped frame 14 is disceive a supply oftablets in jumbled or posed forwardly of the chute 9 and securedhodge-podge relation, to arrange the jumto the base 3 by means of anglepieces 15. bled tablets in anorderly manner so that Another frame 16 ofsubstantially invertedj 30 they all lie in the same direction, and toU-shape is secured by its inwardly project- 8o apportion the orderlypositioned tablets to ing iianges 17 to the horizontal arm 18 of thereceptacles as they pass the machine, the the frame 14. An L-shapedbracket 19 commachine preferably. being driven by the prises ahorizontal arm 20, secured to the traveling movement of the receptacles.horizontal arm 21 of the frame 16, and a Other objects and advantageswill appear Vertical arm 22, provided with a bearing 85 in the course ofthe following description 23, that is alined horizontally with an openofa preferred embodiment of the invention. ing 24 in the disc wall 5 andwith a bearing In the accompanying drawings forming 25 in the front wall26 of the hopper 1. part of this specification, in which like A shaft 27is journaled in the bearings 23 numbers of reference denote like partsand 25, and projects forwardlyof the bearwherever they occur,l ing 23and rearwardly of the bearing 25 into Figure 1 is a plan view of thetablet-disthe hopper 1 to accommodate the collars 28 pensing machine;aiiixed thereto. The shaft 27 preferably ex- Figure 2 is a frontelevation of the same; tends into the hopper beyond the collar 28 Figure3 is a fragmentary vertical secthereat so as to serve as an agitator forthe 95 tional view taken on the line 3 3 in Figtablets contiguousthereto in the hopper. A ure 2; boss or sleeve 29 is aiixed to theyshaft 27, Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal secand a cup-shapedreceptacle 30 is rmounted tional view, taken on the line 4-4 inFigconcentrically thereon, being apertured in ure 2; n Y Y y Y thecenter to receive the externally screwthreaded neck 31 of the boss 29,and being clamped against the shoulder 32 of the boss by means of a nut33 on the neck 31. The peripheral wall 34 of the receptacle 30 slopestoward the annular wall 6 and enlarges radially at its terminus into anannular flange 35, that is alined vertically with the front wall 12 ofthe chute 9, and with its outer edge in proximity to the forward edge ofthe flange 10. An annular wall 36 closes the annular gap 7 and overlapsthe walls 5 and 6 on their inner sides, and is allixcd to lugs 37 on thewall 34 by means of bolts 38 that are accommodated by the annular space7 to extend beyond the outer side of the wall 36. An annular series ofperforations 39 are formed in the flange 35, and projections 40 ofagitators or brushes 41 on the outer side of the flange 35 extendthrough the perforations 39. The brushes or wipers 41 are -preferablyformed of flat resilient strips of metal that extend across theperforations on the outer side of the flange 35 to different distancesin opposite directions so as to form ay comparatively 'long arm 42 atone side of the perforations and a comparatively short or stub arm 43 atthe other side of the perforations, the portion 40 of the strips 41intercalating said arms and being bent inwardly t0 project through theperforations 39 into the annular trough 44 that is defined by the wall36 and the flanges 10 and 35. The outer end 45 of each long arm 42 iswelded or otherwise suitably attached to the outer side of the flange 35so that the bent portion 40 normally projects inwardly to its maximumextent, as shown in Figures 3 and 6. The upper portion o-f the flange 6may be braced or stiflened by supporting the same from the front wall 26of the hopper 1 by means of an intervening bracket or arm 46 securedatits ends to the respective parts.

A standard 47 affixed to the base 3 rearwardlyof the chute9 has itsupper end attached to the depending flanges 48 and 49 ofthe horizontallydisposed and vertically spaced arcuate plates 50 and 51, respectively.The upper plate 50 has the lower end of the chute 9 affixed thereto andis provided with an opening 52 alined with the passage of the chute 9 soas not to close the lower end thereof. The plate 50 extends from thestandard 47 to the left leg 53 of the standard 14, Figures 2 and 4, and`presents a depending flange 54, .affixed to the leg 53. Plate 51extends in a clockwise direction from the chute 9 substantiallyconcentric with a vertical shaft 55, journaled centrally in the frame14, and terminates at a point 56 that is approximately one hundredsixtyfive degrees from the chute 9. The intermediate portion of plate 51presents a depending `flange 57, aliixed to the right leg 58 of theframe 14. The shaft 55 is/journaled in a bearing 59 in the bars 20 and21, in a bearing 60 in the bar 18 and in a bearing 61 in a horizontalbar 62 that connects the lower portions of the legs 53 and 58, thedepending legs 63 of the bar 62 being attached to the legs 53 and 58.

A horizontal disc 64 is aflixed to the shaft 55 intermediary of -theplates 50 and 51 and is provided with a series of perforations 65 thatare arranged to register successively with the discharge opening of thechute 9 as the shaft 55 rotates. A star wheel 66 is detachably affixedto the lower end of shaft 55 intermediary of thebase 3 and the bar 62.The star wheel 66 is provided with as many projections 67 as there areperforations 65 in the apportioning disc 64, six being shown in theillustrated embodiment of the invention. Longitudinal displacement ofshaft 55 is prevented by means of set collars 68 allixed thereto oneither side of the bearing 60. Shaft 55 drives the shaft 27 through theintermediacy of bevel gears 69 and 70, a-lixed to the shafts 55- and 27,l

respectively.

The construction of the machine having been fully described, itsoperation will be readily understood. The machine is securelypositionedalong the side of a conveyor 71, that carries the receptacles72, preferably between guides 73, that prevent lateral displacement ofthe receptacles. that the receptacles are moving from right to left asshown in Figure 4, lthe will engage the star wheel projections 6 thatobstruct their path, so that each receptacle rotates the star wheel 66clockwise through sixty degrees, since there are six projections 67thereon. The hopper or tablet-supply holding means 14 havin beenpreviously ,loaded with a supply of jgumbled tablets 74,.

of such dimensions that they can pass only edgewise into the trough 44,only edgewise and only in sequence through the chute 9, and that can becarried only one at a time in any perforation 65 in the apportioningdisc 64, the rotation of the star wheel 66 results in the clockwiserotation of discharger disc 64, Figure 4, and in the rotation of theagitating shaft 27 and the agitating receptacle vin a clockwisedirection, as Viewed in Figure 2 The agitation of the tablets in thehopper by that end of the shaft 27 `that rojects thereinto preventslclogging of the j opper and insures the gravitation of the tabletsthrough the spout 4 into-the rotating recepq y tacle 30, the rotation ofwhich agitates the tablets so that they ride down the sloping wall 34and enter edgewise into the trough 44, from which they enter the chute 9edgewise and descend therethrough in sequence only. Any tendency of thetablets to clog in the trough 44 at the entrance to theconduit 9 isprevented by the agitating action of the projections 40, that rideyieldingly `over the tablets and so urge them along. The lugs Assuming37 serve, also, as agitators. Failure of the tablets to pass through thechute 9 may be observed throu h the openings 13 in the front wall 12offY the chute. When a tablet arrives at the bottom of the chute, itrides or rolls on the upper surface of the rotating disc 64 until anopening 65 is brought into alinement with the discharge end 52 of theconduit 9, whereupon the tablet falls edgewise into the opening 65 andis carried around with the disc 64, riding or rolling on the plate 51until the end 56 thereof is reached, whence it drops into the receptaclethat is immediately thereunder.

Having thus fully described this invention, we hereby reserve thebenefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, asit is evident that many minor changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention or the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:

1. In a tablet-dispensing machine, a hopper adapted to receive thematerial and having a declining spout, a rotatable receptacle having itswalls sloping upwardly and outwardly below said spout and presenting anannular flange spaced from the outer end of said spout, an annular wallassociated with said hopper and presenting a lateral flange cooperatingwith the flange of said receptacle to define a trough constricted inwidth to receive the tablets edgewise as they drop from said spout, ashaft rotatably carrying said receptacle, means borne by said annularflange and extending into said trough to prevent clogging of the tabletstherein, lugs positioned inwardly of said means for agitating thetablets in said receptacle and a chute for receiving the tablets fromsaid trough.

2. In a tablet-dispensing machine, a hopper adapted to receive thematerial and having a spout enlarged laterally at its outer end to forma disc, an annular wall surrounding said disc and having a lateralflange, a rotatable receptacle presenting an annular flange spaced fromsaid wall, said annular flange cooperating with said lateral flange todefine a trough constricted in width to receive the tablets edgewise asthey drop from said spout, a shaft rotatably carrying said receptacle,means borne by said annular flange and extending into said trough toprevent clogging of the tablets therein, lugs positioned inwardl of saidmeans for agitating the tablets 1n said receptacle and a chute forreceiving the tablets from said trough.

In testimony whereof we hereunto alix our signatures.

GERHART S. SUPPIGER. HENRY G. WEGENER.

